We’ve already seen the official photos yesterday, so it was only natural for the German automaker to drop the official details regarding the 2013 Mercedes SL on us today.
Internally known as the R321, the new SL will premiere at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in January, but on the company’s home market this new model will already be available for ordering from December 15th.
Built almost entirely from aluminium the 2013 Mercedes SL is almost 140 Kg lighter than its predecessor, it is also more rigid, and the automaker brags about the fact that its sporty handling characteristics have been taken to a whole new level.
The SL’s new BlueDIRECT engines are also going to be responsible for the improved driving dynamics, and besides being more powerful than the outgoing units, they are also up to 29 percent more economical.
The engines in question are a 3.5-litre V6 delivering 302 HP and 273 lb-ft (370 Nm) of torque which will be fitted on the SL 350 and a 4.7-litre V8 rated at 429 HP and 516 lb-ft (699.6 Nm) of torque for the SL 500.
Daimler claims that the 2013 Mercedes SL 350 will sprint from 0 to 100 Km/h (0 to 62 mph) in 5.9 seconds (0.3 seconds faster that the current version) and will require 6.8-litres of fuel to cover 100 Km (34.6 mpg US), while the SL 500 variant will dismiss the 0 to 100 Km/h acceleration time in 4.6 seconds.
Apart from the two engines, the new SL is also be available with two different suspension systems, and these are a semi-active adjustable damping system as standard or an optional ABC (Active Body Control) active suspension as an alternative.
As for the hard top on the 2013 Mercedes SL, its structure is based on a light magnesium frame, and it requires 20 seconds for it to fold behind the seats. The roof is available in three options and these are painted, glass or as a MAGIC SKY CONTROL vario-roof.
Other unique features on the Daimler’s new roadster include the "adaptive windscreen wipe/wash system MAGIC VISION CONTROL [which] supplies water from the wiper blade as required and depending on the direction of wipe, plus the FrontBass system which uses the "free spaces in the aluminium structures in front of the footwell as resonance spaces for the bass loudspeakers".
The 2013 Mercedes SL price starts at at 93,534 Euros for the SL 350 BlueEFFICIENCY, and at 117,096 Euros for the SL 500 BlueEFFICIENCY.
